Wimborne Junior School

Wimborne Junior School Wimborne Road, Southsea, Hampshire PO4 8DE

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have had a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. They have addressed the 2017 dip in mathematics attainment.  Pupils make good progress. Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally are closing.  Leaders and governors have high expectations of staff. They are determined to ensure that the school continues to improve.  Leaders use assessment information effectively. Middle leaders support their colleagues well. They ensure that pupils who need to catch up receive appropriate support.  Teachers are well trained and have good subject knowledge. They use questioning effectively to ensure that pupils deepen their understanding.  The curriculum is vibrant and engaging. It makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils behave well. The school is an orderly community where pupils abide by the ‘golden rules’ of being kind and gentle. Attendance is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

similar to the national average for primary schools.  Governors are knowledgeable about the school. They understand the strengths and areas still to improve.  Parents are happy about the quality of education. They say that staff are always available to answer questions.  Pupils do not have enough chances to develop their vocabulary and writing skills in subjects other than English and mathematics.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to develop their experimental and investigative skills in science.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress by providing more opportunities to: – develop writing and vocabulary skills across the curriculum – enhance experimental and investigative skills in science.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The leadership team has created a school with an ambitious learning culture. It has worked hard to ensure that attainment, particularly in mathematics, has risen. Pupils now make good progress due to effective teaching.  Leaders are well respected by staff. All who responded to the Ofsted staff survey are proud to work at this school. They consider that leaders use professional development effectively to help them improve.  School documentation is thorough. Self-evaluation is accurate and leaders have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths. They set aspirational targets for the areas still to improve.  Leaders have set up effective systems to check on progress. Any pupil who is falling behind is identified quickly. Effective strategies are put in place to ensure that these pupils catch up.  Leaders carefully check the quality of teaching. Those who are middle leaders provide effective support and mentoring. They monitor work in books regularly to ensure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

pupils make good progress.  Leaders make effective use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. They have tackled successfully recent weaknesses in the achievement of this group. Teachers identify what works best for each pupil and modify support accordingly. This has had a beneficial effect on pupils’ progress.  The sport premium is well used to ensure that pupils take part in a large number of activities. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, take full advantage of the sports on offer.  Parents are very supportive of the school. Over 95% of parents who responded to the Ofsted survey, Parent View, would recommend the school to another parent. They like the way that the school celebrates their child’s achievements. Many parents praised the large range of extra-curricular activities. One said, ‘There is a wide and varied range of opportunities. These include singing, drama, eco and school council and gardening.’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have planned an imaginative curriculum. Exciting projects often start with a visit or event. Besides English, mathematics and science, pupils study a range of different subjects. For example, they study famous artists and painting techniques. Pupils learn several foreign languages. As well as French, pupils learn some Russian and Thai.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Opportunities to learn about British values are woven into each subject. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of tolerance. They know how to be respectful to people who are different from themselves. They recognise that some people hold different views from their own.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have a clear strategic vision for the school. They play a key role in working with leaders to identify the school’s priorities.  Governors are very experienced. They support and challenge leaders well. They regularly complete training. A recent audit identified that they have a good range of the skills necessary to perform their roles effectively.  Governors appreciate the work of ‘associate governors’. These are pupils chosen by the school council to represent pupils’ views at governing body meetings.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Pupils say that they feel safe at the school. Parents who were spoken to considered that their child was safe and well looked after by staff. For example, they praised office staff for keeping them well informed about their child’s welfare.  Leaders are aware of the needs of pupils. They keep meticulous records regarding vulnerable pupils. This ensures that leaders and appropriate external agencies are able to act on concerns rapidly.  Staff are well trained on a range of safeguarding issues. Recruitment checks are thorough.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Recent improvements in teaching and learning have led to better outcomes. In lessons, teachers carefully check pupils’ understanding. Books and school records clearly show how pupils are building on their previous learning.  The learning environment is vibrant and exciting. Displays in classrooms are relevant to the subjects that pupils are currently learning. Pupils refer to them often in their lessons.  Leaders have put in place effective strategies to improve teaching in mathematics. Staff now have strong subject knowledge. Pupils are able to confidently apply their skills when reasoning and solving problems. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress in every year group.  Pupils enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction books. Staff encourage pupils to develop skills such as inference and deduction.  Books show that pupils develop strong punctuation, spelling and grammar skills, but

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

many pupils have quite a limited vocabulary. This has an impact on pupils’ ability to convey subtlety of meaning in a broad range of subjects.  In science, pupils do not always get enough chances to conduct experiments. Their investigative skills are often not well developed. This has an impact on pupils’ ability to think scientifically.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together. They understand the needs of pupils. They adapt learning carefully to suit pupils’ abilities.  Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils say, ‘Staff are always keen to show us how to understand things, even when we don’t get it the first time’.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. In lessons, pupils learn how to become successful learners. They take pride in their work. Books are neat and well completed.  Pupils are confident. They enjoy taking on extra responsibility and helping the school community. Those who are librarians play a useful role in suggesting ‘good reads’ to others. Pupils who tend the school’s rabbits, fish and guinea pig learn to understand about the needs of other living creatures.  School councillors consider many suggestions about how to improve the school. They are proud that the new ‘buddy bench’ means that pupils have someone to talk to at playtimes.  Pupils understand how to stay safe. Those who are trained as junior road safety officers show others how to safely cross the road. Pupils know how to stay safe when online. They know about the dangers of strangers. For example, they understand that

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Personal development and welfare

they must not give out their address.  Residential trips enable pupils in all year groups to develop their independence. They particularly enjoy pond dipping and building shelters.  Those who attend the alternative provision do well. They behave appropriately and attend most of the time.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school is orderly and calm. The small playgrounds are well managed by staff. Pupils are respectful of each other. They all know the schools ‘golden rules’, such as to be gentle and kind.  Pupils describe behaviour as ‘mainly good’. They say that bullying is rare. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to the teacher.  Leaders monitor attendance well. Attendance is in line with the national average for primary schools.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Attainment is rising. This is as a result of effective actions taken by leaders. Pupils now make good progress in all year groups.  In 2017, results at the end of Year 6 were below the national average in mathematics. Leaders acted quickly to provide staff with extra training. This had a positive impact. Current pupils in all year groups are now making good progress. Skills in reasoning and problem solving are strong.  School assessment information and evidence from work in books shows that most pupils are making good progress in writing. Pupils have strong descriptive skills. However, low proportions of pupils reach greater depth in their writing. One of the reasons for this is that teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in other subjects of the curriculum.  The school encourages pupils to read regularly. Most develop the skills to read with fluency and expression. Pupils can talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books and

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Outcomes for pupils Good

authors. Attainment in reading is above the national average.  In 2017, disadvantaged pupils attained less well than other pupils nationally. The school now uses pupil-premium funding more effectively. Current disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points. Attainment is rising and is closer to that of other pupils.  Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are making good progress. Some make exceptional progress. This is because they receive effective support from staff who provide work that is well matched to their abilities.  In previous years the needs of the most able pupils have not always been well enough identified. The current most able pupils are now making strong progress, particularly in Years 3, 4 and 5. This is due to the work of senior leaders, who have ensured that staff plan clear learning targets for them.  Pupils make good progress in developing their sporting skills. These include football,

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Outcomes for pupils Good

netball and cricket. Pupils make good use of the school’s on-site gymnasium. They have achieved success in a range of tournaments and competitions.  Pupils in Year 6 are ready to embrace the challenge of secondary school. They have developed effective research and evaluative skills through the activities that this school has provided.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.wimborne-jun.portsmouth.sch.uk

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School details

Email address admin1@wimborne-jun.portsmouth.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15–16 July 2014

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Information about this school

 Wimborne Junior School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities is below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is similar to the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school makes use of one alternative provision, Harbour School in Portsmouth.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors and senior leaders observed learning across the school. In addition, they conducted a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work.  Inspectors talked to pupils about what it was like to be a pupil at this school. Some pupils also read to an inspector.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, staff and governors. There was a telephone conversation with the local authority’s commissioned school improvement partner. Inspectors considered the 25 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire.  The views of 47 parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered. Inspectors gathered the views of 35 parents who were meeting their children at the school gate.  A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s development plan and its self-evaluation. Policies and records related to safeguarding and information about pupils’ behaviour and attendance were checked. Inspectors considered a range of

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

William James Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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